


Healing

by temporalDecay



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-24
Updated: 2014-08-24
Packaged: 2018-02-14 11:29:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2189997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/temporalDecay/pseuds/temporalDecay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post Book Three: While Korra is recovering, she receives a visit from an old familiar face.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Healing

**Author's Note:**

> Just the barest hint of Korra/Asami if you squint. I just like the idea of Korra and Tahno being snarky terrible not-quite-friends and I'm sad the show seems to have forgotten about the glorious hilarity that is Tahno.

“Well, they weren’t exaggerating; you really _do_ look like _crap_.” 

There was a moment of terse silence as Asami and Bolin stared at the source of that statement, but their surprise was quickly overshadowed by glares that promised pain and retribution for the audacity. 

Except Korra choked on a laugh at that, pressing her hands over her face to try and smother the sound. 

She didn’t feel like laughing – she didn’t feel like _anything_ , really – but she couldn’t really resent the spark of amusement that came from that snotty, smug voice. 

“Yeah, I look pretty much how I feel,” she admitted, smiling wryly. “Hello, Tahno.” 

“Hello yourself, _Ah_ -vatar,” the young man standing on the doorway replied, taking a moment to flip his hair dramatically. Then the moment passed and he scowled a little. “Seriously, you do look awful, considerably worse than usual. I am almost concerned." He arched an eyebrow, expression mock-severe. "But not enough to forgive the fact you stood me up.” He added, a touch testily. “ _Twice_.” 

“I don’t know about you, Asami,” Bolin said, squinting suspiciously, “but I feel like I’m missing something here. Something big.” He walked over to Tahno and poked him on the side. “Why are you here? Because if you’re trying to pick a fight with Korra, I’ll destroy you.” There was a hint of a threat, beneath the posturing. Then Bolin smirked, brushing invisible lint off his clothes. “I’m a lava bender now, y’know?” 

Tahno arched an eyebrow at him, as if considering his options, but Asami interrupted before he could decide on the best inflammatory remark, because there was just something beautiful about taunting Bolin that would never stop being amusing for him. Asami cleared her throat and turned to Korra. 

“Fill us in?” She asked, far less aggressive than Bolin, because that was definitely a small smile tugging at Korra’s lips, and anything that made Korra smile was okay in Asami’s books. 

Particularly after… well, everything that had happened. 

“I gave Tahno back his bending after… you know, Amon went down,” Korra shrugged, ignoring the way Bolin and Tahno kept trying surreptitiously to shove each other out of the way without giving away what they were doing. “And he asked me to teach him—“ 

“I didn’t ask _you_ to teach me,” Tahno protested, color rising on his face as he tried to loom and look down his nose at Korra, shoving Bolin aside with a scowl, “I asked for suggestions for suitable teachers. You jumped at the chance to enjoy my company.” 

“No,” Korra snorted, “I did the generous, self-sacrificing Avatar thing,” she studiously ignored the way Asami and Bolin flinched, and refused to take the words back, “and took you under my own wing for the sake of _sparing_ any other poor waterbender the torment of trying to teach _you_ , you thick-headed—“ 

Korra’s tirade ended abruptly in a fit of coughing. 

Surprisingly, Tahno stepped in to try and help, as Asami rubbed soothing circles on Korra’s back and Bolin fumbled to serve her a glass of water. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, sincere enough to make Bolin stare. Korra shrugged again, trying to get her bearings. Tahno stepped back, hands raised almost defensively. “I just wanted to see if you were alright.” 

“I’m not,” Korra replied, placing a hand on Asami’s and smiling hollowly up at him. “I think you’re going to need a new teacher.” 

“No,” and Tahno’s tone made it sound final. “I’ll wait til you get better.” He sniffed disdainfully, folding his arms over his chest and carefully not looking at Korra in the eye. “ _I_ deserve nothing but the best, after all.” There was a small pause. “It just means I’ll get enough time to perfect my form before we move on.” 

Korra smiled again, faint and teasing, linking her fingers with Asami’s. 

“I’m not going to take _that_ long to heal, though,” she said, watching with amusement as color bloomed on Tahno’s cheekbones. She licked her lips as she sobered up though, considering something. "Though perhaps…” She looked at Asami, rather than Tahno as she spoke. “Perhaps some fresh air might do me good? I mean, I could talk you through your form. If that’s okay.” 

“I suppose it’s better than nothing,” Tahno replied, trying to sound put upon. 

“So what are you teaching him?” Bolin asked, head tilted to the side, because while Korra was the most amazing bender he’d ever seen, it’d never occurred to ask her to teach him anything. 

“I will wait outside,” Tahno said, before Korra could reply. “ _Ah_ -vatar,” he nodded at Korra and stared at Bolin for a moment, as if he were trying to remember his name, and then shrugged at Asami. 

And then very carefully ran out of the room trying to make it seem he wasn’t running out of the room. 

Korra watched him go with fond annoyance. 

“Healing,” she said, leaning against the backrest of her wheelchair as she sighed, “if you will believe it.” 

Bolin’s expression let her know how very much he didn’t. 


End file.
